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Thursday, August 3, 2017

Of War, Movie-Making and Boxes

by Janis Susan
May/Janis Patterson

Last Saturday, after a bookfair/signing at a local library,
The Husband treated me to a trip to the IMAX theatre to see DUNKIRK. Being an
amateur WWII historian (his reference books cover one entire wall in our newest
library) as well as being a Navy Captain retired after 32 years’ service, he
was so excited about this film. As a veteran of the film and TV industry
myself, I must admit a certain curiosity about it as well, if only to see if
all the hype was justified.

It was.

DUNKIRK is a masterpiece of filmmaking, but it is not what
we would think of as a ‘movie.’ It’s too big for that. We were sitting in padded seats in a
comfortable theatre, but otherwise I imagine it was as close to being in an
actual battle as possible. There are a few continuing characters, but they have
no or minimal backstory, and we have no idea of what happens to them after the
movie ends. Everything is immediate and
in the moment. There is no overarching ‘documentary’ or ‘instructional’ feel.
Each moment is as if seen through one person’s eyes, but using lots of different
people. The action is sometimes out of sequence – or seems to be, I could never
figure that out – but is very evocative of what I think it must have been like
for someone actually being there. Without, of course, the hideous awareness of
an immediate and possibly very messy death.

Some of the sequences were far too long – in my
seldom-humble opinion – such as the running with a stretcher scene, but are
understandable in the context of ‘one person’s eyes.’

The scope of the film is gigantic, gargantuan, enormous –
just a list of the stuntmen alone is like the population roster of a small
town. The number of extras (most of whom just stood in neat lines waiting to be
rescued or falling down from the German strafing) was even greater, though they
received no screen credit. What was mind-boggling to me was that these hordes
of men shown on screen are a mere pittance compared to the numbers who were
involved in the actuality. Overwhelming!

Even though I am something of a movie buff and worked in the
motion picture/TV business for over a decade, I only recognized two actors –
Sir Kenneth Branagh and Sir Mark Rylance, both extravagantly talented
Englishmen – and both were so submerged into their roles it took a while for me
to do that! If I have a quibble with the casting, it is that with only two or
three exceptions, every man in the movie was dark haired and dark eyed, and as
they were all unfamiliar to me that made them almost impossible to tell them
apart. Thank heavens one of the main ones had a mole on his chin, so at least I
could recognize him.But – perhaps that
was a deliberate choice of the director to show the interchangeability of
soldiers in wartime?

One of the main selling points about IMAX is that it makes
you ‘feel as if you’re part of the action.’ I must beg to disagree. First of
all, it’s hard to feel part of the action when you’re reclining in a chair with
your neck uncomfortably bent so you can look upward. That I could live with,
though, but what loses me to IMAX is the distortion caused by the fish-eye of
the dome. I do want to see DUNKIRK again, but in a flat screen format. I think
it will be a lot more emotionally grabbing if the wings of a Spitfire fighter
don’t curve up like a bird’s. Also – a word of warning. If you have a fear of
water be prepared to spend a fair amount of time with your hands in front of
your face. I am and I did.

So – to drag this post kicking and screaming back to
somewhere approximating writing, I would say that DUNKIRK is a valuable lesson
in stepping/thinking/creating outside the box. Far too often people and
publishers talk about wanting ‘something the same as _____(insert bestseller or
writer’s name here)…but different.’ As
writers we should dare to step out of the box occasionally. DUNKIRK did, and
while it is most definitely different, it is gloriously spectacular. It
deserves to win just about every Oscar going.

Your review of the film is stunning, Susan. Even my employer has recommended Dunkirk to me but his taste has been dubious in the past... however, I sense the film is more than another war-film but an innovative achievement. Regarding publishers, agents etc., they are in business to make money-making money means pleasing the market. Authors who step outside the box are refreshing, but risky business.On a personal note, being a Cymrophile, the failure of the Dunkirk film makers to mention the many Welsh battalions but make a fuss over the few Dutch soldiers leaves a mark. :)